Get Up and Move Y'all!!!!

Scary statistic that I just read in the most recent edition of Anytime Fitness' periodical publication...... The average American spends over half of their lifetime sitting! As the article points out between watching tv on the couch, driving and working desk jobs, the majority of our waking hours are spent seated. With this in mind is it any wonder obesity rates are through the roof, Type II Diabetes is an epidemic and other conditions related to poor circulation are insanely high these days? The take away??? Use some of at couch time to get out and get active! 20 to 30 minutes a day of continuous activity that increases the heart rate slightly and causes you to work up a light sweat is all it takes to increase and preserve health!!!!

Stay focused and happy training y'all!!!!

Chiropractic Care is More Cost Effective at Treating Lower Back Pain than the Medical Approach

ACA's latest stat on how Chiropractic care is much less expensive and effective at treating lower back pain that medicine's approach:

Chiropractic Can Prevent Surgery (From the ACA)

October is National Chiropractic Health Month! Here a cool stat on the effectiveness of chiropractic in prevention of surgery in cases of back injuries, as released by the ACA:

Decent Description of Why Chiropractic is So Effective for Back Pain

Chiropractic is so much more important in overall health and vitality building than for treating back pain alone. Yet, most people seeking chiropractic care do so for lower back pain. Here's a decent and simple run down of why chiropractic IS the most effective means of managing and remedying back pain all together  (keep in mind this article is from the medical community, so some important aspects are left out, such as the role of Innate Intelligence and your body's incredible ability to heal itself, given an environment conducive to doing so):

http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/chiropractic-pain-relief

Time to move it!

So I'm at the gym on the treadmill as we speak and just wanted to do a simple post this time as a means to remind everyone ( myself included) that our exercise activities don't have to be overly complicated, just simply an activity that gets the heart rate up and involves continuous movement. So get out and walk the dog for 20 minutes or if you can't motivate yourself to get in your scheduled run today.... Do like I did and head to the gym and do a brisk walk on the treadmill. It ain't running by at least te moving forward y'all!

Stay focused and happy training y'all!!!!

So it's time to recommit.....

So no matter how diligent, how committed or how obsessed you are with fitness and healthy eating, I'm here to tell you we all face setbacks from time-to-time.  These last 6 months have been a real challenge for me due to some hefty life changes including beginning full time Chiropractic school, maintaining a full time job, having a new baby and moving.  With all of these new responsibilities, I'm finding less and less time to get in my workouts and stay true to my diet.  Being in a hurry all the time has me scrambling for food and meals whenever and however I can get them, often times resulting in protein bars and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  That coupled with a drastic reduction in my cardio training has resulted in a negative effect on my waistline :) I've increased my weight training during this time and my strength has certainly increased, yet I feel and look much less "in shape" and my training is one-sided (something I warn against in my book Simply Wellness). 

So the purpose of this blog isn't simply a confession of my health and fitness sins, but more a demonstration that we all face setbacks in our quests for Wellness Based Living.  I also want to use this blog post as a means to state my intentions publicly to get in better shape and to restore a balanced approach to training over the next several months.  If we state our intentions to others, we hold ourselves more accountable to following through with them.  So, I'm striving to run and bike 3 times a week, swim 2 times and weight train 3 times a week.  In addition I'm striving to recommit to my daily yoga practice, no matter how short of a practice it might be.  I've also decided to sign up for a half-marathon in October of this year!

So y'all join me and regardless of how committed or in shape you are at this very moment, recommit to your goals and take it to another level!  Reach out and do something that challenges and might even scare you a little such as that race or charity ride that you've been thinking about!  Spring is here and what better time to get out and get moving again!

Capital 10 Miler for the Arts Run

So the family and I are up in Lancaster, PA this week to visit with family and celebrate the completion of my 2nd quarter of Chiropractic school.  I was asked by my brother-in-law and sister-in-law to run with them in the Capital Area 10 Miler for the Arts in Harrisburg, PA this past weekend and being the hardheaded type, I couldn't say no.  Well, I can honestly say that due to the weather, this was hands down the most brutal event I've been in, including the Ironman that I finished last year!  Temperatures were in the lower 30's and there was a heavy rain falling the entire race.  Nothing but puddles and mud on the course, yet I have to admit that finishing this event was an awesome feeling! I think when all was said and done, my clothes had to weigh an extra 20 pounds or more being that they were completely soaked from the rain (and I swear there was some ice too).

My training for this event was nonexistent.  I've literally gotten the opportunity to run maybe 5 times in the last 6 months and have not completed a 10 mile run since the Ironman in May of last year.  I've been weight training primarily so my mass is up and my speed is down.  That being said, my goals for the race were simply (1) to finish (2) finish in less than 2 hours and (3) not have to walk at any point during the race.  Well, at a finish time of slightly over 1 hour and 51 minutes, believe it or not, I accomplished all 3 goals!  It was somewhat humbling to take it down a notch and not feel like I was in contention for anything, and I must be honest, there is something to be said about slowing down and taking in the atmosphere of a race.  Of course at this race with the weather we had, I'd almost rather not have taken in so much of the atmosphere!


Stay focused and happy training y'all!!!!!!!!!!!